Webpage fonts

[~Vulpine~]

If I wanted to use an unusual font on a webpage, not one that many people would have, would uploading the font file to my host directory work and would my webpage appear correct to everyone who viewed it?

[Catso]

You'd be getting into a minefield with all that malarky. To be able to display the font, it has to be properly installed on the PC. The browser is just an app, like any other.

Web pages shouldn't really be trying to install fonts, and what would you do if the user refused, or they weren't an admin?

The web browser decides the font, and picks the closest match (alledgedly). If they have the font you specified, it would be used.

[rojash]

The other thing you might want to consider, is that most people are not interested in reading web pages with fancy fonts, difficult background/foreground colour combinations, or the like. Check out any professionally produced site and you will amost certainly find Arial or Verdana, black on white

[stevie21]

Is it for the entire site or just a banner or heading? If it's for a tiny amount of text then use an image instead, much like AB do.

[fo3nix]

For headings, you want to use sIFR. Use standard fonts for normal text.

[~Vulpine~]

Actually, I was thinking of doing the body in Silkscreen, a little pixelised font. I've seen it used on sites doing Xanga layouts and stuff, and just wondered how they managed to get it to display properly.

[fo3nix]

silkscreen for the main text? kottke would have a fit!

[~Vulpine~]

Hehehehehehe! :D

But at a reeaaally small size, so it's very readable but really cute!

[fo3nix]

yea but at a small size it's no use to anyone who likes larger text... stick to helvetica or verdana or similar.

in general, use sans-serif fonts for screen viewing, and serif fonts for print use.

also it depends on what type of site you're developing; if the site is, say, for arty types, then using silkscreen may be not as bad. but still i wouldn't, personally.